From the Shadows towards the Light
by Meiya Mie
Summary: Post-WK. Someone's following Aya-chan...who could it be and what does he want?


Weiss Kreuz is property of their respected creators, 

companies and associates. This is an unofficial work of 

fiction for entertainment purposes only, without any 

intention of infringement.

This is a non-yaoi WK fic featuring...oh, you'll soon 

see. After reading, please send any and all feedback to 

tarotwatery@yahoo.com.

________________________________________

'From the Shadows towards the Light'

A Weiss Kreuz Fanfic

By Mia Marci

________________________________________

I.

"Hello?" She answered politely. "Oh!" She exclaimed, 

recognizing the voice on the other line. "Oniisan! How are 

you? I'm doing fine. No, nothing happened." 

She cradled the phone on her shoulder, keeping it in place 

with her cheek as she shared her attention with the slices 

of bread before her. "I'm fine - the biggest threats to me 

at the moment are the professors and the amount of reading I 

have to get done. Yes, I know." She paused, letting him 

speak. "I know, you've told me again and again." She let him 

talk some more as she finished buttering her bread and 

sandwiching two slices of beef. She slipped the sandwich 

into a plastic bag, and slipped the phone into her emptied 

hands. "Oniisan," She said, her voice gently chiding. "I 

understand that you're worried, but I do wish our phone 

calls consisted of something more aside from a lecture on 

security and safety. I 'am' a big girl."

She listened to his defensive response, then shushed 

him. "If anything happens, you know I'd tell you." She said 

simply. She smiled, listening to the voice on the other line 

soften and fumble through his speech apologetically. "We've 

come this far and we've been through so much. Now we have to 

learn to trust the world again. As you can see, I can't be 

kept under someone's protection forever. I honestly think 

that what has happened made us stronger and more aware of 

the dangers. I think that would be our biggest defense 

against any future ones." She sighed. "We can't be afraid 

forever, Oniisan." 

She picked up her sandwich bag and listened to him 

talk some more. After awhile, she smiled. "I love you too." 

She said. "Now, I have to go or I'll be late for my first 

class. When will you call again? All right, I'll try to 

remember that. Contact me on my cellphone if I'm not at 

home, okay? Take care now. I miss you too... Goodbye."

She hung up and placed the bread, spreads, and meat 

back where they belonged. She picked up her schoolbag as she 

headed to the front door where she stopped to slip on her 

shoes before stepping outside her apartment. With several 

more steps and two flights of stairs down, she reached the 

ground floor. She exited the building, greeted warmly by the 

bright sunny day and the familiar city noise of traffic, 

music, and voices.

She was particularly careful in crossing the street. 

She took her checking one way then the other, doing this a 

good few times before finally, hurriedly crossing the 

avenue. She looked relieved when she reached the opposite 

end of the avenue, smiling at that small achievement before 

continuing on her way.

She was unaware of someone expertly blending in with 

the crowd, watching her every move and following her every 

step of the way. 

'She's grown.'

That's the very first thought that crosses his mind 

when he first sees her. After all, last time he saw her... 

was that only a few years ago? She was so pale then, from 

being confined in the hospital for nearly an interminable 

amount of time. She looked younger than she was, especially 

in the plaited pigtails that kept her hair neat, and further 

emphasized childlike features.

She looks healthier now. Definitely awake, and alive. 

Her hair grew, and she usually kept it down, framing matured 

ladylike features. He imagined the look on her brother's 

face when those deep, dark eyes of his beloved baby sister 

slowly opened. He must have been so happy. He smirked at the 

mental image.

'Welcome back to the world, Aya Fujimiya.' He thought. 

A welcome for both her and the brother; The older brother, 

'Ran', quickly signed out of Weiss and relocated his sister 

and him to some other part of Tokyo. He was surprised when 

he found out that Aya was allowed to leave home for college, 

he didn't think Ran would stand for it. He guessed it was 

her idea, and wondered how she convinced him. From his 

experience, the guy just didn't know when to quit. But heck, 

did 'he'? After all, Schwarz disbanded several months ago. 

What was he doing here? He wasn't required to neither did he 

have to be here. However, when rifling through old files of 

Schwarz, getting rid of any and all evidence found within 

them - rereading the file on the younger Fujimiya left him 

quite nostalgic. He decided to see just what they were up 

to, as he didn't really have anything else to do. 

It took mere weeks to track them down, taking full 

advantage of his special sight. It was amazing how a few 

visions, questions, and the right people cleared the way so 

easily. He found Aya two weeks ago, and observed her from 

afar. Just like every weekday, he followed her from her home 

to her school, taking a turn for a secluded area unnoticed 

by passerby but situated in an area where he could see her 

as she enters and exits school. When she did come out, he'd 

follow her again. And she wouldn't have a single clue.

Many prospects lie in the young girl's ignorance, and 

the very fact that she lived alone and away from her 

brother... it would've made the previous mission involving 

her much, much easier.

So, he went through all this trouble to find her and 

memorize her routine,

'What next?'

II.

Aya awoke with a start, then shivered, curling up 

underneath her blankets as a chill crept into her room. She 

frowned at the half-open window in her bedroom, and stood 

up, blanket still wrapped around her to close it. She walked 

back to bed and lay down again, closing her eyes to sleep.

Sometime later in the night, a shadowed figure crept 

into her room. She stirred, but didn't awaken as he slowly 

stepped towards her, stopping to stand before the edge of 

the bed. He stood there, unmoving. His poise seemed calm, 

but alert. His thumb moved slightly over the surface of a 

gun's handle on his right, held in place by a holster. 

That slight move seemed to give him away.

Aya awakened and gave a lurch, giving off a small 

grunt as she flung herself at him, attempting to knock him 

down. He quickly stepped back before she really hit against 

him, enough to keep him standing but not enough to avoid the 

pain in his chest from the impact. A struggle ensued between 

them, as the intruder held her by her wrists while she 

struggled and fought against him. She gave a kick, but the 

intruder dodged, but the restraint made them fall on the 

floor. They struggled still, Aya wrestling to get her hands 

free, well aware of the weapon he had and fully intending to 

get it from him before he got the idea to use it. They 

rolled, under the window where a single beam of moonlight 

shone through. Suddenly, the intruder stilled as his face 

was revealed under the light. His grip on her loosened - and 

Aya didn't hesitate to take her hands back, quickly grab the 

gun and unlock it as she stood up. The intruder's clear blue 

eyes behind large, frame-less spectacles widened in shock as 

he realized that he's been disarmed.

Worse yet, he didn't see it coming.

"I know you." Aya said bluntly.

He opened his eyes again, looking at her curiously. 

The brother told her? He didn't expect that either.

"I think I even saw you a few times, before I fell 

into a coma." The gun was raised above her shoulder facing 

the ceiling, and she stared down at him. He wondered if his 

time was up - if she'd kill him right there, to get 

vengeance for her family's pain and loss. He tried to think, 

tried to see... but nothing came. He braced himself.

Silence followed, interrupted by a few clicks.

Aya emptied the gun, the bullets spilling into her 

other hand. Her gaze was steely and threatening, very alike 

to her brother's when they came face to face. 

"Leave." She ordered. 

Crawford's mind was reeling when he left the building. 

He walked through the sparsely populated streets, but had no 

idea where he was going or where he wanted to go. He 

replayed the struggle with Aya again and again, wondering 

what went wrong...did anything go right...and above all, why 

did she let him go?

She knew him. She had the chance, and every right to 

pull that trigger and kill him. She didn't, and he didn't 

even see it coming. He didn't even get himself to move in 

the moments that lapsed between them, he could've gotten 

that gun, he could've gotten her while she stared down at 

him and wondered what to do with HIM.

Crawford paused an image flickering into his 

mind. 

'Oh great.'

His gift usually cleared the way for his next move, 

and his thoughts. This evening, for the first time in a long 

time, he was rather irritated at his sight. First, it failed 

him just when he needed it most. Second, it finally got 

working again when he didn't need it to, and what the 

visions suggested, for him, only served to humiliate him 

more. 

Crawford never ignored his visions. 

And, In spite of his grudge against it for the 

evening, He wasn't about to start.

Aya didn't mention of the previous evening's event 

when her brother called. Before the expected phone call, she 

took time to practice speaking normally, without giving off 

even the slightest hint in her voice. Ran had a knack at 

knowing if she was hiding something. And, she knew she'd 

never hear the end of it if she did admit to him previous 

night's events. The worse that could happen was that she'd 

be ordered, without question or debate back home. That worse 

could very well happen - Ran didn't take any chances.

So when he called, she remained cheerful and spoke of 

everyday happenings in university or just around the 

neighborhood. She was relieved when he didn't ask her if she 

was hiding something, that he didn't detect that she was 

carefully watching every word that went past her lips, 

juggling that with carefully observing Ran's tone and 

listening to what he was telling her. When she hung up, she 

let out a long sigh of relief and felt exhausted. Never 

before did she put that much effort into a phone 

conversation.

As for last night - she didn't think too much into it. 

She wasn't sure if Crawford would return to finish the job, 

but she didn't want to waste her energy in worrying or 

scaring herself stiff about the mere possibility. But she 

remained wary. Just in case, the gun she retrieved from him 

was in a locked night table drawer, with the bullets. She 

hoped she wouldn't have to use it - ever.

III.

It rained that afternoon. He expected that much, and 

came prepared. He calmly pulled the hood of his jacket over 

as the rain started to fall and thunder began to rumble. 

From his place, half-hidden in a nearby alley, he watched 

Aya enter the supermarket, there was a rumble of thunder and 

it started to pour.

She came out, shopping bags in hand. He watched her 

look up at the weather, frown and make a run for it down the 

avenue, into the rain. Crawford disappeared into the alley. 

He broke into a run, turned at the end and ran straight 

again, whizzing past other openings into different alleys 

opening out to the main avenue. 

Aya still ran through the pouring rain, concerned only 

with getting home so she could get dry. A few blocks more 

and she'd be sheltered...her apartment building was just up 

ahead--

"Mmm--!" She gave a yelp as someone grabbed her from 

behind. Bags of groceries dropped as she reached up and 

tried to pry her from the grasp. She gave a kick, but he hit 

her in turn. Aya gave a loud yelp of pain and a sob, as more 

pressure was put upon her, holding her in place while he 

pressed against the wall. "Pretty little thing." he sneered, 

his voice reeking of alcohol. He wasn't anyone she knew. Aya 

started to panic, his intentions becoming very clear. The 

aggressor kept one arm over her, firmly keeping her in place 

while muffling her screams, while he released the other to 

stroke her cheek.

Suddenly, Aya was free. There was the sound of impact, 

and she was suddenly released. Aya breathed in deeply and 

greedily, stumbling into her freedom and collapsing against 

some nearby trash cans, toppling it over. The two men - one 

her aggressor, the other her rescuer were going at each 

other, fists flying. There was one, last, loud, sickening 

sound of violent contact, and the aggressor fell back - 

moaning at the pain.

"Come on." A familiar voice urged.

"Huh?" Aya looked up. "You..."

"Hurry up." Crawford urged. "Put your arm over my 

shoulder, I'll help you get home. I promise I won't hurt 

you."

He helped her up to her feet.

"The groceries..." Aya said weakly. 

"Never mind them." Crawford said. "Come on, let's get 

you home."

He swung her arm over his shoulder, supporting her as 

they walked the rest of the way. Aya shook her head at 

inquiries about broken bones and a hospital. They didn't say 

anything else to each other till they got into the building, 

where Aya tried to take her arm back. "I can take it from 

here..."

"It's okay." Crawford said. He had her bag with him, 

and held it to her. She dug into it for her keys, pulling 

them out and slipping the main one into her lock. The door 

opened, and he helped her inside.

He set her upon the sofa, and knelt before her. "Are 

you sure you aren't hurt?"

Aya winced, touching an area in the middle of her 

back. Crawford peered at it, then reached out to check if 

anything was broken or out of place. 

"Nothing." He assured her. "But it'll probably bruise. 

Do you want anything?"

She shook her head.

"Alright." Crawford murmured. He ran a hand through 

his hair, and looked down, unsure of what else to say. Aya 

remained quiet, waiting. There was a moment of awkward 

silence, before Crawford finally spoke again.

"I'll understand," He said carefully "if you rather I 

leave."

Aya stared. He refused to meet her gaze. 

"Why did you save me?" She asked.

Crawford opened his mouth to answer, but shut it 

again. He bit his lip for a moment. "Good question." He 

said. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

"Really?" Aya asked doubtfully.

"Really." 

She looked unconvinced. Crawford sighed.

"Of course I don't expect you to believe me." He 

stated simply. "So I'll leave you to your own assumptions. 

It is up to you to trust me. So, can you take it from here? 

If you can, I'll leave." 

She stared at him for a moment, wondering. She sighed, 

shaking her head in disbelief. 

"I'm inclined to let you stay. If you had anything 

special in store for me, you wouldn't have bothered helping 

me up here. Would be too much trouble, wouldn't it?" He cast 

a quick look up at her, catching just a glimpse of suspicion 

in her eye before looking down again. 

"You may sit down you know." 

Crawford sat, at the far end of the couch beside Aya. 

He stared straight ahead, his face impassive.

"What's your name?" She asked him.

"Crawford."

"Ah. What nationality, American?"

"Yes."

He nodded.

"Is that your only name?" 

"My first name is Brad." 'Not that it matters.' He 

mentally added.

"Oh. You prefer to be called...?

"Just Crawford will do."

"Okay. Well, you probably know my name." Aya said.

"Yes."

She shrugged, crossing her arms.

"What brings you here?" She asked.

Crawford hesitated. 

"I don't know." He admitted. She needn't mention her 

doubt, he could sense from her. "Really." He insisted 

lightly, though he knew full well that it wouldn't make any 

difference. This was awkward...wonder what Ms. Manners would 

suggest for in this situation? Proper etiquette for 

conversing between Former Kidnapper and Kidnap Victim. He 

laughed silently at his own stale wit.

"Have you been following me?"

He saw that coming from somewhere at the back of his 

mind. He just nodded.

"Of course." She commented. "So you've been following 

me for some time, but you don't entirely know why, and 

you're not entirely sure why you saved me earlier?"

"No. Believe me, I wish I could properly answer that 

question. I'm not usually this vague about anything."

"You seemed pretty sure about paying me a visit last 

night." She observed.

"But the reasons behind that visit are vague." 

Crawford stopped for a moment, thinking. "I should've been 

able to fight you off last night and still keep my gun. I 

don't know what came over me."

"Everyone makes a slip on occasion, even people like 

you." Aya said dismissively.

"That was pretty surprising on my behalf." Crawford 

remarked dryly. "To be honest, I am quite embarrassed. I've 

had more dignified defeats." 

Aya glanced at him, then looked straight ahead again, 

not knowing what to say.

"Since we're on this train of thought, I'll ask you a 

question." Crawford said. "Why did you let me go?"

She didn't respond immediately. He laughed. "I guess 

that's unanswerable?"

"Actually, I let you go out of the goodness of my 

heart." She remarked.

"You're teasing me." He scoffed.

"I'm not. I simply didn't see myself turning you in, 

or killing you. If you are to be punished for all the bad 

you've done, it should willed by someone who hasn't done 

anyone wrong. I am not, and I certainly cannot claim to be 

that person. So I have no right to punish you."

There was another, but not uncomfortable, silence.

Followed by a sheepish-sounding chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Aya inquired.

His chuckles quieted down. "I am." He answered. "I'm 

rather touched by the thought. It wasn't what I expected, 

from you of all people." He smiled wryly. Aya smiled back.

She stretched, letting out a sigh of relief. The 

tension between them easing from Crawford's laughter feeling 

much more relaxed in his presence. Yet, she frowned.

"Something wrong, Aya?" Crawford queried.

"Hungry." Aya admitted. "But there's nothing in the 

fridge."

"Ah." He looked thoughtful. "I'll treat you to 

dinner." He decided.

"You don't have to--"

"I want to." He interrupted his tone definite. 

"I don't feel like going out to eat." She admitted.

"I know the number of a good Chinese restaurant that 

delivers." Crawford pressed. 

"I shouldn't..." She started, but her voice sounded 

and looked sorely tempted. 

"Their fried rice is very good, and their seafood's 

fresh. It'll only take fifteen minutes. You know" His eyes 

glinted. "You want to." 

She gave up, throwing her hands up in surrender. He 

barely held back his smile of amusement.

"As long as it's good. And not poisoned, I hope." She 

teased warily. He smirked at her, daring her to trust, or 

doubt him. She just shook her head, disbelieving at how the 

events of the last few hours unfolded. 

"You make the call and orders. I'm going to freshen up 

a bit and change." She instructed. He clapped his hands 

triumphantly, and picked up the phone. 

IV. 

"Full already?" Crawford inquired mildly as he scraped 

the last of the fried rice from the bottom of his carton. 

Crawford and Aya were seated across from each other in 

the dining room. Open cartons of Chinese take-out were 

scattered on the table, as neither of them, especially Aya, 

bothered with dinnerware. Aya slumped back against her 

chair, licking her lips and hugging herself contentedly. 

'Cute.' Crawford thought, while he chewed and swallowed the 

last bit of fried rice. He set the carton aside. 

"You did poison me." Aya accused. "You're trying to 

kill me with good food. You want me to die happy."

"At least you're happy." He said unrepentantly. He 

spied the plastic bag previously holding the food cartons, 

and reached inside, pulling out a clear packet containing 

two biscuits. "Fortune cookie?" Crawford offered.

Aya nodded. He tore the packet open, taking one cookie 

out and passing it to her. She broke the cookie in half, 

popping half of it in her mouth while she pulled out and 

unfolded the slip of paper she found buried among the crumbs 

of the other half. She swallowed before she spoke. "What 

does yours say?" 

Crawford broke his cookie, tugged out the slip of 

paper and unfolded it. "Intentions will become as clear as 

the emperor's pond." He read.

Aya unfolded hers, took one look, and suddenly crumpled 

it.

"Hey," Crawford interjected. "You didn't read yours."

"It's a dud." She assured him. "Nothing special, I 

don't even believe in those things."

"I'd still like to know what it says." He picked up 

the crumpled paper and unfolded it again. "'Love will fly to 

you like a spring breeze'."

"Their food is good, but their fortunes are lousy." 

Aya remarked.

"It isn't lousy if it comes true." He tossed the paper 

aside.

"These things are mass-produced, I doubt it will come 

true." She replied pointedly. "Oh, how much do I owe you for 

dinner?" 

"None." Crawford said.

"Come on, that's too much. I'm not in crippling 

poverty, Crawford. So, how much do I owe you?"

He paused. That was the first time she called him by 

his name. "It's on me." He told her again.

"Alright." Aya said. "But I owe you something, you can 

call in on a favor in return for dinner anytime you want. As 

long as it isn't anything illegal."

"Fine." Crawford accepted. A thought occurred to him 

"Will you be telling your brother about this anytime soon?"

Aya straightened up in her seat. She shook her head. 

"If he asks, but I'm not going to outrightly admit it."

"Sou." He mused. "Will he ask 'Have you been having 

dinner with the people who've kidnapped you'?"

"He might." She was serious. He didn't disagree with 

her. She looked straight at him. "How did you get recruited 

to do what you do?"

"Assassinate?" Crawford filled in, half-mocking.

"Yes, that. I don't really like saying the word, bear 

with me. So, how did you get into it?"

Crawford tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully. 

"I started out in securities for Takatori then moved my way 

up."

"And when did you first kill someone?" Aya asked, then 

suddenly corrected herself. "I'm sorry, I'm prying. Never 

mind."

"Good. Even if you held me at gun point, I wouldn't 

ruin this nice evening by answering that." Crawford said. 

"Where is my gun, by the way?"

"In a drawer by my bed." She answered. "Do you want it 

back?"

"You'll give it back to me if I asked?"

"It won't be loaded."

"Oh." He said in mock disappointment.

"Better luck next time." She smiled.

Crawford leaned forward. "May I pry?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Like you, it all depends 

on the question."

"It won't be as dark and morbid as what you asked me, 

but it will certainly be personal. I've been very curious 

about this for the last few years."

"About what?"

"While you were comatose," He began, and checked to see 

if she objected or felt disturbed at his start. When she 

didn't react, he continued "did you see anything?"

Aya grew thoughtful. Her voice was unusually soft when 

she answered him "I lived again."

There was more. Crawford listened.

"I saw myself from afar." Aya explained. "From the 

times I was cradled in my Mother's arms, to the seconds 

before I was run over. It's true what people say, about 

seeing their lives flash before them when they're on the 

verge of death. In my case, since it's like they haven't 

quite decided if I was going to die or not... these 

flashbacks took their time."

"What was it like?" He asked.

"It was like..." She thought hard. "a very long movie. 

Every moment seemed to take a little more time than when the 

event originally unfolded. It took some time, so I can absorb 

the emotions dwelling through every person that had something 

in relation to me, from my family to my friends."

The thought lingered between them for a few moments. 

Aya closed her eyes, dwelling in reminisce. She didn't seem 

to mind, even seemed to forget that Crawford still sat across 

from her, eyeing her with the watchful gaze he wore while he 

perceived her from afar.

"I'm sorry," Aya murmured. "That was more than you 

asked for, wasn't it?"

"It did answer my question." Crawford said. Was she 

usually this trusting in spite of everything? First she lets 

him go, out of some truly heartfelt form of mercy, now this. 

Such a show of heart was very unusual from someone who's been 

victimized by his former boss, and even himself. Other people 

he knew who've been through half of what she had came out of it 

distrusting and crushed. She, however, grew from it.

He admired her for that. 

There was such weight to that word, 'admire', 

especially towards to the girl sitting across from him. The

realization startled him.

In the minute that passed - it was like he was close to 

death. The last two days flashed before his eyes, replaying 

with some newfound clarity that shook him to the very core of 

his soul. The revelation made such images and emotions were 

much sharper, and breathed sense into every move and every 

thought that lead him to that very moment in Aya's dining 

room.

He remained very still.

"Why..." His voice was quiet. "Why did you let me know 

all that?"

Aya's head rested upon the table. She neither stirred 

nor answered. Crawford slowly sat up, and leaned towards her. 

He heard her snoring lightly... she had fallen asleep. 

Crawford reached out and shook her lightly on the shoulder, 

but she didn't awaken. 

He watched her for a moment.

Briefly, but gently, he reached out and gently caressed 

her cheek, before he stood up and showed himself out.

V.

The phone rang - once, twice, and thrice. Aya finally 

picked up in the middle of the fourth ring. "Hello?" She 

answered sleepily. "Oh, Oniisan." She yawned. "Uhuh, yeah, I 

was pretty tired last night, you woke me up. It's okay." She 

stopped, listening to him, leaning against the phone and 

blinking her eyes sleepily. "I'm okay. Really, I am. And 

you?" She smiled tiredly. "Oh, that's really good to hear, 

Ran, really good. Hmn? What have I been doing? Well... I had 

someone over last night. Oh, just a friend of mine from 

school. Which friend?" She yawned loudly. "Uhmnnnn... I can't 

even recall. No." She laughed. "I didn't drink, don't worry. 

It's just rather early, Oniisan. Yeah...Alright, I'll go back 

to bed, get more sleep. I'll call you next time, okay? Take 

care. I miss you too." 

She hung up, and stood by the counter.

The apartment was silent, like it usually was as Aya 

did live alone... but for that morning, that moment, the 

silence was nearly suffocating. 

Behind her, remained the cartons of Chinese food from 

the night before, and the chair where Crawford sat in, 

slightly ajar.

--owari--


End file.
